5-Star TE Landen Thomas Flips Commitment to FSU from Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs may be back-to-back College Football Playoff national champions on the field, but Monday brought a defeat on the recruiting trail.

That is because highly regarded tight end Landen Thomas flipped his commitment from his home-state Bulldogs to Florida State:

Zach Blostein of 247Sports noted Thomas committed to Florida State in 2021, switched to Georgia last year and then decided to flip again after a January visit to the Seminoles' junior day "changed everything in his recruitment."

Thomas is a 5-star prospect and the No. 24 overall player and No. 1 tight end in the 2024 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

"They've always been keeping in contact with me and steady keeping a relationship with me," Thomas said of Florida State. "I just feel like I belong in Tallahassee and playing for the Seminoles. I just feel like I belong down there."

That is welcome news for a Florida State program that is attempting to reestablish itself as a college football powerhouse after a number of disappointing seasons.

It also helps head coach Mike Norvell maintain his momentum after the team improved on the field in each of his first three seasons. The Seminoles went 3-6 in 2020, 5-7 in 2021 and 10-3 last season with wins over archrivals Florida and Miami. It also defeated Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl.

And now it outlasted one of college football's dominant programs in the recruiting race for one of the best players in next year's class.

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports compared Thomas to NFL tight end C.J. Uzomah and highlighted the prospect's versatility that allows him to run routes from the slot or as a traditional tight end.

Thomas finished his last high school season with 44 catches for 753 yards and eight touchdowns and even scored five times as a runner when he lined up at quarterback on short-yardage situations.

Florida State now has the No. 6 class in the country for the 2024 cycle, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and will look to continue rising with more additions like Thomas.